Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Amniotic Fluids.

Human amniotic fluid (hAF) cells share characteristics of both embryonic and adult stem cells. They proliferate rapidly and can differentiate into cells of all embryonic germ layers but do not form teratomas. Embryoid-bodies obtained from hAF have cardiac differentiation potential, but terminal differentiation to cardiomyocytes (CMs) has not yet been described.

Percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft in left main coronary artery disease: a comprehensive meta-analysis of adjusted observational studies and randomized controlled trials.

Background: Treatment of patients with ULMCA (unprotected left main coronary artery disease) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been compared with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), without conclusive results.

Methods: All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies with multivariate analysis comparing PCI and CABG for ULMCA were included. Major cardiovascular events (MACEs, composite of all-cause death, MI, definite or probable ST, target vessel revascularization and stroke) were the primary end points, whereas its single components were the secondary ones, along with stent thrombosis, graft occlusion and in-hospital death and stroke.

Independent impact of extent of coronary artery disease and percutaneous revascularisation on 30-day and one-year mortality after TAVI: a meta-analysis of adjusted observational results.

Aims: The impact of the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) on outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remains a matter of debate. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of CAD, of its severity and of PCI on mortality after TAVI.

Methods And Results: All published studies evaluating the impact of CAD on 30-day and one-year mortality after TAVI at multivariable analysis were included.

Network meta-analysis of studies comparing closure devices for femoral access after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Introduction: Different devices have been released for closure of femoral vascular access after coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention, whereas evidence about their efficacy and safety when compared with manual compression or head to head is lacking, especially across different diameters of sheaths, age and sex.

Results: A total of 30 studies were included in the analysis. Manual compression was evaluated as the control group in all of the included studies (5620 patients), Angioseal in 15 studies (17-29) (1812 patients), Exoseal in two studies (30-31) (1773 patients), Perclose in six (29, 32-37) (849 patients), Vasoseal in eight (36, 38-43) (699 patients), DUETT in one study (44) (392 patients), StarClose in two studies (23, 45) (334 patients), Techstar in two studies (37, 46) (252 patients) and extravascular staple in one study (47) (242 patients).

Structural insight into the optimization of ethyl 5-hydroxybenzo[g]indol-3-carboxylates and their bioisosteric analogues as 5-LO/m-PGES-1 dual inhibitors able to suppress inflammation.

The release of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandines (PGs) and leukotrienes (LTs), arising from the arachidonic acid (AA) cascade, play a crucial role in initiating, maintaining, and regulating inflammatory processes. New dual inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), that block, at the same time, the formation of PGE and LTs, are currently emerged as a highly interesting drug candidates for better pharmacotherapie of inflammation-related disorders. Following our previous studies, we here performed a detailed structure-based design of benzo[g]indol-3-carboxylate derivatives, disclosing several new key factors that affect both enzyme activity.

Safety of FFR-guided revascularisation deferral in Anatomically prognostiC diseasE (FACE: CARDIOGROUP V STUDY): A prospective multicentre study.

Background: FFR-guided coronary intervention is recommended for patients with intermediate stenoses. However, concerns exist with this approach in anatomically prognostic disease.

Methods: In this prospective, multicentre study, we consecutively enrolled patients found to have FFR negative lesions in anatomically significant sites: left main; proximal LAD; last remaining patent vessel; and multiple vessels with concomitant impaired left ventricular systolic function (EF < 40%).

Beta-blocker therapy reduces mortality in patients with coronary artery disease treated with percutaneous revascularization: a meta-analysis of adjusted results.

Aims: The long-term impact of beta blockers on prognosis in patients treated with contemporary therapies for coronary artery disease remains to be defined.

Methods And Results: All observational studies evaluating the impact of beta blockers in patients treated with coronary revascularization and contemporary therapies and adjusted with multivariate analysis were included. All-cause death was the primary endpoint, while Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) (composite endpoint of all-cause death or myocardial infarction, MI) and MI were secondary endpoints.

Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery Disease: Outcomes of Treatment With Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents - Insight From the FAILS-2 Study.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome of patients undergoing PCI for unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease with different drug-eluting stent (DES) types.

Background: Published literature suggests that second-generation DES options have differing vascular responses and outcomes, but there is a paucity of data in real-life patients in the LM setting.

Methods: This is a retrospective, multicenter study, including patients treated with a second-generation DES for ULMCA disease between 2007 and 2015.

AntiEpileptic drug Monitoring in PREgnancy (EMPiRE): a double-blind randomised trial on effectiveness and acceptability of monitoring strategies.

Background: Pregnant women with epilepsy on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may experience a reduction in serum AED levels. This has the potential to worsen seizure control.

Objective: To determine if, in pregnant women with epilepsy on AEDs, additional therapeutic drug monitoring reduces seizure deterioration compared with clinical features monitoring after a reduction in serum AED levels.

Inhibition of aldose-reductase-2 by a benzofuroxane derivative bf-5m increases the expression of kcne1, kcnq1 in high glucose cultured H9c2 cardiac cells and sudden cardiac death.

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is characterized by prolonged QT interval, leading to sudden cardiac death. Hyperglycemia is an important risk factor for LQTS, inhibiting the cardiac rapid component delayed rectifier K+ current (Iks), responsible for QT interval. We previously showed that the new ALR2 inhibitor BF-5m supplies cardioprotection from QT prolongation induced by high glucose concentration in the medium, reducing QT interval prolongation and preserving morphology.

Psychophysiological responses of junior orienteers under competitive pressure.

The purpose of the study was to examine psychobiosocial states, cognitive functions, endocrine responses (i.e., salivary cortisol and chromogranin A), and performance under competitive pressure in orienteering athletes.

Association of Beta-Blockers with Survival on Patients Presenting with ACS Treated with PCI: A Propensity Score Analysis from the BleeMACS Registry.

Purpose: The aim was to evaluate prognostic value of beta-blocker (BB) administration in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) patients in the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) era.

Methods And Results: The BleeMACS project is a multicenter, observational, retrospective registry enrolling patients with ACS worldwide in 15 hospitals. Patients discharged with BB therapy were compared to those discharged without a BB before and after propensity score with matching.

Intracoronary versus intravenous adenosine to assess fractional flow reserve: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: Intravenous infusion of adenosine is the reference method to measure fractional flow reserve (FFR). Intracoronary boluses are often used because of time and convenience, but their effectiveness has yet to be assessed.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies directly comparing intravenous and intracoronary adenosine administration for FFR measurement.

Long-Term Caloric Restriction Improves Cardiac Function, Remodeling, Adrenergic Responsiveness, and Sympathetic Innervation in a Model of Postischemic Heart Failure.

Background: Caloric restriction (CR) has been described to have cardioprotective effects and improve functional outcomes in animal models and humans. Chronic ischemic heart failure (HF) is associated with reduced cardiac sympathetic innervation, dysfunctional β-adrenergic receptor signaling, and decreased cardiac inotropic reserve. We tested the effects of a long-term CR diet, started late after myocardial infarction on cardiac function, sympathetic innervation, and β-adrenergic receptor responsiveness in a rat model of postischemic HF.

Bird on the wire: Landscape planning considering costs and benefits for bird populations coexisting with power lines.

Power-line grids are increasingly expanding worldwide, as well as their negative impacts on avifauna, namely the direct mortality through collision and electrocution, the reduction of breeding performance, and the barrier effect. On the other hand, some bird species can apparently benefit from the presence of power lines, for example perching for hunting purposes or nesting on electricity towers. In this perspective essay, we reviewed the scientific literature on both costs and benefits for avifauna coexisting with power lines.

Treatment of coronary artery disease with a new-generation drug-coated balloon: final results of the Italian Elutax SV rEgistry-DCB-RISE.

Aims: Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) are a recognized alternative to stents for the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR), and there is some initial clinical evidence about their efficacy for the treatment of small coronary vessels. Newer-generation DCBs were developed to overcome the reduced deliverability of the previous generation, also warranting a more effective drug delivery to vessel wall. However, the vast majority of new-generation DCBs still lack of reliability due to paucity of clinical data.

EU protected area network did not prevent a country wide population decline in a threatened grassland bird.

Background: Few studies have assessed the effectiveness of the Protected Area networks on the conservation status of target species. Here, we assess the effectiveness of the Portuguese Natura 2000 (the European Union network of protected areas) in maintaining a species included in the Annex I of the Bird Directive, namely the population of a priority farmland bird, the little bustard .

Methods: We measured the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 by comparing population trends across time (2003-2006 and 2016) in 51 areas, 21 of which within 12 Special Protection Areas (SPA) that were mostly designated for farmland bird conservation and another 30 areas without EU protection.

Intraperitoneal Administration of Oxygen/Ozone to Rats Reduces the Pancreatic Damage Induced by Streptozotocin.

The rat model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced pancreatic damage was used to examine whether a systemic oxygen/ozone mixture could be beneficial for the pancreas by reducing the machinery of the local detrimental mediators released by STZ. The results showed that oxygen/ozone administration (150 µg/Kg i.p.

Aerobic Training Improves Angiogenic Potential Independently of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Modifications in Postmenopausal Women.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of walking-training on the balance between pro- and antiangiogenic signals and on the angiogenic potential in postmenopausal women.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-four postmenopausal women (56.18 ± 4.

Comparison of Adaptive Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Sulforaphane and its Interconversion Product Erucin in in Vitro and in Vivo Models of Parkinson's Disease.

Several studies suggest that an increase of glutathione (GSH) through activation of the transcriptional nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) in the dopaminergic neurons may be a promising neuroprotective strategy in Parkinson's disease (PD). Among Nrf2 activators, isothiocyanate sulforaphane (SFN), derived from precursor glucosinolate present in Brassica vegetables, has gained attention as a potential neuroprotective compound. Bioavailability studies also suggest the contribution of SFN metabolites, including erucin (ERN), to the neuroprotective effects of SFN.

Designing a lifestyle intervention to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes in postpartum mothers following gestational diabetes: An online survey with mothers and health professionals.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify what components of a postpartum lifestyle intervention would engage postpartum mothers who had a diagnosis of gestational diabetes.

Study Design: Two online surveys were conducted, one involving postnatal mothers with GDM (n=83), and a second for health professionals (n=46).

Results: Seventy-eight percent of mothers were aware that healthy eating, exercise and weight management were all important to reduce risk of subsequent type 2 diabetes.